Wreaking Havoc

octo

After causing a bigger rift between my parents and I, it was easier to ditch events since nobody even tried to contact me and forced me to come. Maybe Janine was also wary that I could accidentally ruin their parties because I was the rebellious child. I'd probably just consider it a blessing in disguise because I get to enjoy the rest of my vacation without having to force a smile at their parties.

"Ano'ng oras ang klase niyo?" Eli asked habang pinapanood ko siyang magluto ng breakfast through videocallI can't really understand how Eli manages to be gorgeously innocent and hot at the same time that whenever that comes into my mind, it feels like I'm being too inappropriate even though I'm just literally admiring his physique and looks. I mean, how does he even maintain a toned body with his busy schedule?

"Love?" he called, chuckling, only for me to realize that I've been staring at him for minutes kaya napatakip ako ng mukha sa hiya which made him laugh even more! Pakiramdam ko tuloy ang pervy ko! "Ano iniisip mo, ha?"

I shook my head. Whatever I thought within those minutes will forever remain a secret in my head.

He laughed, "Okay, okay... Akala ko matutunaw na'ko kanina, e," he uttered.

"What did you cook?" I asked to shift the topic, which I know he noticed because of how he stared at me and squinted his eyes wearing this familiar smug smile he shows me whenever he wants to tease me bago natawa at itinapat 'yung camera sa plato niya.

"I cooked tapa!" he says like the happy kid he is who loves his tapa paired with vinegar with lots of sili. Napasimangot ako dahil bigla kong na-miss 'yung luto niya! I thought we could spend the rest of the week together but then they got busy in the firm kaya hindi na rin namin natuloy-tuloy 'yung Tagaytay, tapos ako kinareer ko na rin 'yung advance reading para hindi ako ma-bother kila mommy.

"Do you want me to bring you one? Gabi pa naman 'yung klase namin." Eli's classes were literally evening since he always enrolls in the working class para makapasok pa rin siya sa firm na pinagtatrabahuhan niya. Just by looking at his schedule with 6:00-9:00 PM classes were exhausting me already, and yet imagine if you had work from 9:00 AM until 4:30 PM? I don't even know how Eli juggles through all that.

Napangiti ako, "Really?" I exclaimed, clapping my hands even because I'll get to see his face again because it's been weeks! Astrid told me ang boring daw ng relationship namin dahil ang dalang naming magkita kahit bakasyon when she told me I could just literally stay at his apartment para lagi na kaming magkasama—which included her implying that we should take it to the next level already, but it feels too foreign for me and I just want to adjust slowly. Besides I've asked Eli already if our set up was okay with him, and he said he understood naman and he'd patiently wait whenever I'm ready. Sometimes I'd feel like I was being unfair to him, but he never failed to assure me that it was okay with him—and that what's important to him is I'm comfortable with our relationship.

Two years and the only time I could take a nap at his place was when it's daytime since it's either Eli's out for work or he's just busy enough for him to allow me to clean his place. I was never a clean freak because we had housekeepers naman, but within those two years, pakiramdam ko nahawa ako ni Eli kasi ang dalas niyang maglinis!

"How about firm?"

Eli shrugged and checked his watch, "Mamaya pa naman 'yung pasok ko. Daan ako diyan bago ka pumasok," nakangiti niyang sabi bago tumayo at kumuha ng tupperware sa may cabinet niya atsaka sinalinan 'yun ng tapa. It felt like I was drooling over the tapa already because even the way they cooked tapa at home didn't feel homey. It was only Eli's way of cooking tapa that I completely found it in me to like the ulam. "What time's your class? Afternoon classes lang kayo ngayon 'di ba?"